https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Fri, 01 May 2026 12:19:46 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/interesting-perspective-on-names-and-race#post-2604086 Mon, 15 Aug 2016 11:53:35 +0000 Mrs. Lemon-Lime 2604086@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Truth Bombs: :heart: Freakanomics, but I haven't listened to that podcast. Anyway your comment made me think of this article I read awhile back <a href="http://m.huffpost.com/us/entry/8271374" rel="nofollow">http://m.huffpost.com/us/entry/8271374</a> since the name examples were Imani and DeShawn. There does seem to be a hierarchy within the black community when it comes to "black names." Freakanomics has the data to back it up, but anecdotely successful, college educated black people name their kids "black names" too. It's a shame all the studies showing minority talent is often pushed aside just because of their name. One of the bloggers didn't immediately reveal her adopted son's name, but hinted it would be Biblical and common for a black person. His name is Isaiah. Even when names are not hard to pronounce our associations with names can limit someone else's potential due to bias. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/interesting-perspective-on-names-and-race#post-2604066 Mon, 15 Aug 2016 11:16:29 +0000 travellingbee 2604066@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Truth Bombs: then maybe, to relate to the article, a black person who lives in poverty and who has had fewer educational opportunities might be more likely to reject European names of a society that has kept them repressed. Thus they'd be more likely to choose a name that is uniquely African American. Perfectly reasonable of course. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/interesting-perspective-on-names-and-race#post-2604060 Mon, 15 Aug 2016 11:05:52 +0000 Freckles 2604060@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Great article! I think i just read the La-a story recently on some mommy blog. Sad that people keep retelling this story without knowing the truth. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/interesting-perspective-on-names-and-race#post-2604047 Mon, 15 Aug 2016 10:46:49 +0000 Truth Bombs 2604047@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Has anyone read the Freakanomics chapter on names? It raises the point that people with traditionally black names tend to be less successful not because of their name, but because if they were born in to a family that would use that name, the likelihood is that they are of a lower socioeconomic class and therefore haven't been afforded opportunities that would lead them to success. A synopsis below:</p> <p>"The data show that, on average, a person with a distinctively black name—whether it is a woman named Imani or a man named DeShawn—does have a worse life outcome than a woman named Molly or a man named Jake. But it isn't the fault of his or her name. If two black boys, Jake Williams and DeShawn Williams, are born in the same neighborhood and into the same familial and economic circumstances, they would likely have similar life outcomes. But the kind of parents who name their son Jake don't tend to live in the same neighborhoods or share economic circumstances with the kind of parents who name their son DeShawn. And that's why, on average, a boy named Jake will tend to earn more money and get more education than a boy named DeShawn. DeShawn's name is an indicator—but not a cause—of his life path." </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/interesting-perspective-on-names-and-race#post-2604038 Mon, 15 Aug 2016 10:37:47 +0000 MrsSCB 2604038@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>This is a great article, thanks for sharing. ETA: my name is misspelled and mispronounced probably more often than spelled or said correctly, but no one's ever acted like that says something about me or my parents like they do with some of the names mentioned in the article. @Anya: yes, I also cringe every time someone brings up "la-a." Ugh. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/interesting-perspective-on-names-and-race#post-2604036 Mon, 15 Aug 2016 10:33:35 +0000 psw27 2604036@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Really interesting article! I've really never thought of "name shaming" as a form of racism before, but this article made me think. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/interesting-perspective-on-names-and-race#post-2604034 Mon, 15 Aug 2016 10:26:52 +0000 Mrs. Lemon-Lime 2604034@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Anya: :sad: I definitely didn't need to look that up. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/interesting-perspective-on-names-and-race#post-2604027 Mon, 15 Aug 2016 10:16:37 +0000 Anya 2604027@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mrs. Lemon-Lime: I think people think they are telling a true story.. I don't know, it's a bit perplexing. I've had it happen twice during real life conversations and it comes up every once in a while on here too. If you search "crazy baby names" there is a thread. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/interesting-perspective-on-names-and-race#post-2603942 Mon, 15 Aug 2016 08:35:29 +0000 looch 2603942@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mrs. Lemon-Lime: Agreed (as usual). :grin: </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/interesting-perspective-on-names-and-race#post-2603936 Mon, 15 Aug 2016 08:28:56 +0000 avivoca 2603936@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mrs. Lemon-Lime: I am the same and it's so awful the things I hear because people think I am white. </p> <p>OP, thank you for posting this article. It was very interesting and eye opening. It will definitely give me pause before discussing any "younique" names I come across. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/interesting-perspective-on-names-and-race#post-2603922 Mon, 15 Aug 2016 08:14:37 +0000 justjules 2603922@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@travellingbee: yes! this! I was a teacher in Detroit with 99% black classroom and I hated it when people would laugh and ask about the crazy names of my kids. Also, another teacher gave me this tip: do roll call by last name and have the students pronounce their own name then make yourself notes </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/interesting-perspective-on-names-and-race#post-2603888 Mon, 15 Aug 2016 07:20:56 +0000 Mrs. Lemon-Lime 2603888@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Anya: so that *is* a real joke? I have a couple biracial friends (black &amp; white) that can pass for white. They have always said I wouldn't believe what white people said about black people behind our backs. </p> <p>Overall this is a good article. Let's keep in mind when we reinforce the idea that black kids have (or supposed to have) these black names then we reinforce the idea that when black kids are not named in this way they have white names. Either way teasing ensues. If a white person asked me to help them with pronouciation as the teacher does in this article I would not be any help and would take offense. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/interesting-perspective-on-names-and-race#post-2603878 Mon, 15 Aug 2016 06:21:21 +0000 travellingbee 2603878@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Anya: ha ha, I read your first comment and I was like..."?" I didn't say it wasn't an article.😂 </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/interesting-perspective-on-names-and-race#post-2603874 Mon, 15 Aug 2016 05:20:58 +0000 farawayyama 2603874@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Anya: me too! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/interesting-perspective-on-names-and-race#post-2603868 Mon, 15 Aug 2016 02:20:37 +0000 Anya 2603868@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Oops- I meant to type "this is a great article" </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/interesting-perspective-on-names-and-race#post-2603862 Sun, 14 Aug 2016 23:43:44 +0000 jhd 2603862@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Thanks for sharing! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/interesting-perspective-on-names-and-race#post-2603861 Sun, 14 Aug 2016 23:42:39 +0000 macintosh 2603861@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>That was a great article. It was interesting to learn about the origin of the prefixes. That Key and Peele clip was hilarious. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/interesting-perspective-on-names-and-race#post-2603853 Sun, 14 Aug 2016 22:31:37 +0000 Anya 2603853@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>This is a article, thanks for sharing. Also, I cringe every time someone claims they had a student/patient/whatever named La-a. 😳 </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/interesting-perspective-on-names-and-race#post-2603851 Sun, 14 Aug 2016 22:16:12 +0000 travellingbee 2603851@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Especially as a white teacher, I think this is a good point of reflection. Well worth the read.<br /> <a href="http://everydayfeminism.com/2015/09/white-people-black-names/" rel="nofollow">http://everydayfeminism.com/2015/09/white-people-black-names/</a> </p>